Pedroinspain
Active member
I have a puzzle and seek assistance with it.
On 17 November I took the attached pictures at a spot above the Teotitlán del Valle dam, Oaxaca province. I have seen pictures, videos and trip reports of Black-headed Grosbeak in the area. However the bird in the images is clearly yellow and not orange, and has no full coloured collar (particularly in photo 1 of the bird 'leaning forward', i.e. not hunched). This might suggest (carolinabirds.org) a Black-backed Grosbeak which brings its own substantial issues - not supposed to occur in Mexico; has no black bib; has no white tail tip.
I am tending towards a Black-headed Grosbeak mainly based on distribution. Are such colour and collar variations known?
On 17 November I took the attached pictures at a spot above the Teotitlán del Valle dam, Oaxaca province. I have seen pictures, videos and trip reports of Black-headed Grosbeak in the area. However the bird in the images is clearly yellow and not orange, and has no full coloured collar (particularly in photo 1 of the bird 'leaning forward', i.e. not hunched). This might suggest (carolinabirds.org) a Black-backed Grosbeak which brings its own substantial issues - not supposed to occur in Mexico; has no black bib; has no white tail tip.
I am tending towards a Black-headed Grosbeak mainly based on distribution. Are such colour and collar variations known?